Student Blog 8

And so here we are. A whole academic year of school passed in the blink of an eye. All events leading up to the big 6 weeks where anything could happen. And providing one last opportunity to take a look at the news of the past week and trying to make sense of it in this little blog. Here we go.

News of the Week:

The UK’s ‘democratic’ decision to leave the EU is now in full negotiation talks. ‘Brexit Bulldog’ David Davis met his European counterpart, Michel Barnier, and exchanged gifts with him whilst also giving the election staple ‘No deal is better than a bad deal’ that has become synonymous with Theresa May’s government over the past few weeks.

Whilst these negotiations started in June, the ongoing nature of “Nothing is agreed until everything is agreed, is becoming tiresome and weary (Does that remind you of anyone?) and the fact that the government’s appeal to both sides of the political spectrum to ‘put aside differences and focus on what is best for the country’ doesn’t seem to be working is causing distress up and down the nation where people are worrying if the UK is ever going to finalise and pay for its divorce from the EU. A divorce, which it must be said, will cost the UK approximately £18 billion and even then, politicians are unsure of the consequences Brexit will have on the UK’s infrastructure and the rights of EU citizens that currently have residence in the UK.

So, in short, a divorce that will have unforeseen consequences and cause major ripple effects worldwide is still going ahead. (Brangelina, anyone?)

And so to that effect, we come to the 2017 Hall of Fame, a feature that will not be seen until September. This week’s and indeed August’s inductees might seem a bit trivial but they are worthy of it.

Firstly, Roger Federer for winning a record 8th Wimbledon title on Sunday and for not dropping a set throughout the whole of the competition.

Secondly, Johanna Konta for being the first British woman in 39 years to reach a Wimbledon singles semi-final.

And finally, pianist Igor Levit for satirically playing the EU anthem, ‘Ode to Joy’ during the First Night of the Proms.